For some throughout the pandemic, the cost of maintaining a "work from home" space and maybe a "virtual learning" space can be costly, especially with the rising costs of having internet access available at your fingertips. It's an expense that can be hard to afford.

You may qualify for some relief of that, thanks to the the Federal Communications Commission. They have given the green light for a plan that will subsidize a portion of your internet bill if you qualify.

According to Fiberone, the Emergency Broadband Benefit is an FCC program to help households struggling to pay for internet service during the pandemic. This new benefit will connect eligible households to jobs, critical healthcare services, and virtual classrooms.

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Do I qualify for the EBB program?

A household is eligible if one member of the household:

  • Qualifies for the Lifeline program;
  • Receives benefits under the free and reduced-price school lunch program or the school breakfast program, including through the USDA Community Eligibility Provision, or did so in the 2019-2020 school year;
  • Received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year;
  • Experienced a substantial loss of income since February 29, 2020 and the household had a total income in 2020 below $99,000 for single filers and $198,000 for joint filers; or
  • Meets the eligibility criteria for a participating providers' existing low-income or COVID-19 program.

How do I apply for the program?

Although the program has been given a green light by the FCC, a start date for applications has yet to be announced. The FCC did release a statement saying that they are working diligently to get things in place for applicants. We'll update you as soon as we have more information.

READ MORE: Here are 50 ways you can improve your work from home lifestyle

 

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